Cambridge Liberal Democrats

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Cambridge MP goes fishing for rail improvements

June 22, 2007 11:00 AM

David Howarth, Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge, has joined campaign group Transport 2000's Sardine Man and actress Jenny Aguttter in calling on the Government to tackle rail overcrowding and improve and expand services for passengers through its upcoming 30-year rail strategy.

With over a billion people taking train journeys every year, rail overcrowding has become the number 1 passenger concern. Government figures forecast a 30% growth in rail passenger miles by 2016.

Mr Howarth commented:

"The Government's failing transport policy is creating a prohibitively expensive railway. While the cost of motoring has fallen since 1997, rail fares have increased significantly. Tackling overcrowding by raising the cost of traveling is a perverse incentive, which will simply force even more people back into their cars."

David joins Jenny Agutter and the Sardine Man to push for rail improvements

"Rail use by passengers is having a real renaissance and is at its highest level since the 1950s, and still rising. This is great news - but the rail network and number of services has not expanded to keep up with demand. The Government will be issuing a rail strategy this summer which must place growing the railways at its heart."